Institutional Committee for Stem Cell Research & Therapy (IC-SCRT)

Introduction

JIPMER promotes basic and clinical stem cell research. There has been a lot research going on in these areas around the world. Not to be left behind, JIPMER encourages faculty to do research in this area and a few research studies on stem cells have been initiated. Since stem cell research involves a number of ethical issues, an institutional committee for stem cell research & therapy (IC-SCRT) was set up to scrutinize the scientific and ethical issues, approve the proposals and monitor the progress of ongoing work.

Functions

The major responsibility of IC-SCRT is to protect the rights, safety and well being of the research participants and patients receiving stem cell treatment.

The committee also makes sure the area of research is permissible as per the guidelines for stem cell research issued by the ICMR.

The IC-SCRT conducts meetings for reviewing the research proposals and gives suggestions to the investigators to make their research sound in both scientific and ethical aspects before approving them. All stem cell research projects whether basic (experimental in vivo and in vitro) or clinical (human) should get the approval of the IC-SCRT before starting their study.

Composition

As per guidelines for stem cell research by DBT- ICMR, the IC-SCRT was constituted on 21.04.2012 and the members of the constituted ethics committee are: